Fast-moving storm causes flooding during rush hour

1of16Connor Flynn, out for a run in his neighborhood, stops as he encounters a blocked off road where a car was washed to the side of the road on McCullough at E. Magnolia on Wednesday June 17, 2015.Photo: Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

2of16Traffic crosses West Avenue at Nakoma as heavy rain falls in San Antonio on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.Photo: Billy Calzada, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

4of16A vehicle sits in high water after a late afternoon storm erupted over San Antonio on Wednesday, June 17, 2015. The thunderstorm brought on by remnants of Tropical Storm Bill caused flooding to occur on low-lying streets around town. (Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News)Photo: Kin Man Hui, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

6of16A dove flies past a rainbow after a late afternoon storm erupted over San Antonio on Wednesday, June 17, 2015. The thunderstorm brought on by remnants of Tropical Storm Bill caused flooding to occur on low-lying streets as around town. (Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News)Photo: Kin Man Hui, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

7of16Rain pours over San Antonio Jun 17, 2015.Photo: John Gonzalez

8of16Streets are already flooding in San Antonio after a short period of rain on June 17, 2015.Photo: Jacob Beltran

9of16The beginning of the rain storm near Schertz and San Antonio on Jun 17, 2015.Photo: Tyler White for MYSA

16of16A jetliner takes off from San Antonio International Airport as a rainbow shines after heavy rain fell in San Antonio on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.Photo: Billy Calzada, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

Although Tropical Storm Bill weakened to a tropical depression as it moved into North Texas, rain bands in its wake produced heavy rain in the San Antonio area Wednesday evening.

The fast-moving system dumped about 4 to 5 inches of rain over the city, with the North Side being the hardest-hit, said Paul Yura, National Weather Service meteorologist.

Fire Department spokesman Christian Bove said firefighters responded to about 14 high-water rescues after the storm, including one involving three teenagers. The trio had been swept away in an SUV by floodwaters at about 6:23 p.m. at McAllister Park by Buckhorn Road.

When firefighters arrived, the water was 3 feet high. As the rescue began, the water continued to rise and the teens escaped to the roof of vehicle.

“We were trying to reach them with a ladder truck,” Bove said. “But at that point, water continued to rise almost to the roof.”

That’s when the teens went into the water, Bove said, noting it wasn’t clear if they jumped or were swept away.

“Luckily we had firefighters downstream in the water with rescue rope just in case,” he said, adding that a boat team was on scene.

The teens managed to swim over to some tree branches and hold on until the boat team reached them.

Bove said it didn’t appear the teens will face charges because they did not drive around a barricade.

“Even if there is water on the road and you see that don’t take a chance and find another way,” he said.

Meanwhile, the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill made its way to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, causing flooding in an area still saturated by storms that hit the state over the Memorial Day weekend.

Tropical storms are unpredictable, and though the track of the storm shifted some, the bands still could cause flooding with all the moisture in the area, forecasters said.

“That’s the thing with tropical storms. The track is the key,” Eric Platte, an NWS meterologist, said Wednesday.

Today’s forecast includes a 50 percent chance of rain, diminishing to 40 percent tonight. Friday, rain chances decrease to 20 percent, with highs in the mid-80s and lows in the mid-70s on both days.

San Antonio received 1.07 inches of rainfall on Sunday, trace amounts on Monday and 0.17 inch on Tuesday, according to the NWS.